A Vietnam appeals court on Friday halved the eight-year jail term of a dissident and cut the six-year term of another to three years of house arrest, sources familiar with the verdict said, in a rare step welcomed by human rights activists.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has pledged to legislate for same sex marriage within 100 days of a re-electied government, while Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has pledged 'real change' in government during the first leaders debate of the election campaign.

The shooting of Malala Yousafzai by the Taliban shocked the world and sparked rare public outrage against Islamist militants in Pakistan. So why has Pakistan's leadership been unable to seize the opportunity to take decisive action against Taliban sanctuaries? BBC World Service South Asia Editor Shahzeb Jillani explains.